Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Electrical engineer to power electronics engineer

An electrical engineer already meets 46% of what the power electronics engineer role asks for. The move turns on 18 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From electrical engineer
46 % overlap
Partial match
To power electronics engineer
26 You already bring
18 Still to learn
70 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Substantial retraining

66.8/ 100

1 How much of what a power electronics engineer is expected to do is already part of an electrical engineer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the power electronics engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A power electronics engineer role treats 21 of its required skills as things an electrical engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • adjust engineering designs
  • analyse test data
  • approve engineering design
  • battery design
  • battery management systems
  • define technical requirements

What stands in the way is 18 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 26 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A power electronics engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an electrical engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held test microelectronics constructing
  • already held design electromechanical systems communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held battery design engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held assemble hardware components working with computers
  • already held battery management systems engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held integrated circuits engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 26 carried skills, including the 21 the power electronics engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 44 missing skills fall into 13 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 information skills 6 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn test power electronics required
  • still to learn ensure material compliance required
  • still to learn conduct literature research required
  • still to learn conduct quality control analysis required
  • still to learn record test data required
  • still to learn report analysis results required
  • optional, not held draft bill of materials optional
  • optional, not held perform resource planning optional
02 engineering, manufacturing and construction 4 required, 4 supplementary
  • still to learn mechanical engineering required
  • still to learn electronic equipment standards required
  • still to learn electronic test procedures required
  • still to learn power electronics required
  • optional, not held energy saving potential of automated shift systems optional
  • optional, not held consumer electronics optional
  • optional, not held robotic components optional
  • optional, not held safety engineering optional
03 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 6 supplementary
  • still to learn design power electronics required
  • still to learn model power electronics required
  • still to learn draft design specifications required
  • optional, not held develop product design optional
  • optional, not held apply technical communication skills optional
  • optional, not held design firmware optional
  • optional, not held design integrated circuits optional
  • optional, not held prepare assembly drawings optional
  • optional, not held train employees optional
04 management skills 1 required, 4 supplementary
  • still to learn develop electronic test procedures required
  • optional, not held define manufacturing quality criteria optional
  • optional, not held coordinate engineering teams optional
  • optional, not held create technical plans optional
  • optional, not held perform project management optional
05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn environmental threats required
  • optional, not held regulations on substances optional
06 handling and moving 1 required
  • still to learn dispose of hazardous waste required

7 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a power electronics engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 26 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held adjust engineering designs skill
  • already held analyse test data skill
  • already held approve engineering design skill
  • already held battery design knowledge
  • already held battery management systems knowledge
  • already held define technical requirements skill
  • already held design drawings knowledge
  • already held design electromechanical systems skill
  • already held design prototypes skill
  • already held electricity knowledge
  • already held electricity principles knowledge
  • already held electronics knowledge
  • already held engineering principles knowledge
  • already held environmental legislation knowledge
  • already held integrated circuits knowledge
  • already held interpret circuit diagrams skill
  • already held perform data analysis skill
  • already held physics knowledge
  • already held prepare production prototypes skill
  • already held test microelectronics skill
  • already held use technical drawing software skill
  • already held assemble hardware components skill
  • already held operate precision machinery skill
  • already held program firmware skill
  • already held robotics knowledge
  • already held use precision tools skill
The 7 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 services 1 required
  • still to learn health and safety regulations required
08 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required
  • still to learn operate electronic measuring instruments required
09 working with computers 3 supplementary
  • optional, not held install software optional
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
  • optional, not held use CAM software optional
10 constructing 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held apply soldering techniques optional
  • optional, not held perform test run optional
11 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held CAE software optional
12 assisting and caring 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held maintain safe engineering watches optional
13 business, administration and law 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held risk management optional
26 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held energy saving potential of automated shift systems optional
  • optional, not held consumer electronics optional
  • optional, not held define manufacturing quality criteria optional
  • optional, not held develop product design optional
  • optional, not held maintain safe engineering watches optional
  • optional, not held regulations on substances optional
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held CAE software optional
  • optional, not held apply soldering techniques optional
  • optional, not held apply technical communication skills optional
  • optional, not held coordinate engineering teams optional
  • optional, not held create technical plans optional
  • optional, not held design firmware optional
  • optional, not held design integrated circuits optional
  • optional, not held draft bill of materials optional
  • optional, not held install software optional
  • optional, not held perform project management optional
  • optional, not held perform resource planning optional
  • optional, not held perform test run optional
  • optional, not held prepare assembly drawings optional
  • optional, not held risk management optional
  • optional, not held robotic components optional
  • optional, not held safety engineering optional
  • optional, not held train employees optional
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
  • optional, not held use CAM software optional
82 held skills the power electronics engineer role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role Assembly (computer programming) knowledge
  • not needed by the target role CAM software knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Objective-C knowledge
  • not needed by the target role PHP knowledge
  • not needed by the target role R knowledge
  • not needed by the target role VBScript knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Visual Basic knowledge
  • not needed by the target role abide by regulations on banned materials skill
  • not needed by the target role align software with system architectures skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
  • not needed by the target role artificial lighting systems knowledge
  • not needed by the target role assemble electromechanical systems skill
  • not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
  • not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role automotive engineering skill
  • not needed by the target role biotechnology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role combined heat and power generation knowledge
  • not needed by the target role computer technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role create electrical wiring diagram skill
  • not needed by the target role design a mini wind power system skill
  • not needed by the target role design an electric heating system skill
  • not needed by the target role design circuit boards skill
  • not needed by the target role design electric power systems skill
  • not needed by the target role design electrical systems skill
  • not needed by the target role design electromagnets skill
  • not needed by the target role design sensors skill
  • not needed by the target role design smart grids skill
  • not needed by the target role design user interface skill
  • not needed by the target role domestic cooling systems knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electric drives knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electric generators knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electric heating systems knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electric motors knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical equipment components knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical equipment regulations knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical instrumentation engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical machines knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical testing methods knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electrical wiring diagrams knowledge

42 further entries not listed here

14 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn environmental threats required
  • still to learn mechanical engineering required
  • still to learn electronic equipment standards required
  • still to learn electronic test procedures required
  • still to learn health and safety regulations required
  • still to learn power electronics required
  • optional, not held energy saving potential of automated shift systems optional
  • optional, not held consumer electronics optional
  • optional, not held regulations on substances optional
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held CAE software optional
  • optional, not held risk management optional
  • optional, not held robotic components optional
  • optional, not held safety engineering optional
Index

Other moves recorded from electrical engineer

Full index of moves from electrical engineer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can an electrical engineer become a power electronics engineer?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. An electrical engineer already covers 46% of what a power electronics engineer is expected to do: 26 skills carry over, 21 of which the power electronics engineer role treats as required.

What skills does an electrical engineer need to become a power electronics engineer?

18 required skills are missing, plus 26 optional ones. They fall into 13 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is design power electronics.

How hard is the move from electrical engineer to power electronics engineer?

Its learning distance is 66.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.